Cover fastener



Oct. 27, 1942. s. MATHER COVER FASTENER Filed sept. 7. 1959 Moz/MWL @Zena MM5/er Patented Oer. 27, 1942 COVER FASTENEB Glenn Mather, Baltimore, Md., mignon to Marketing Service Corporation, Baltimore, Md.

Application September 7, 1939, Serial No. 293,819

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-47) 'l'his invention relates to improvements in cover fasteners or wire clamps to be employed in securing a cover to a receptacle and more particularly to an improved fastener to be used with fiberboard containers or the like.

'Ihe primary object of the invention 'is to provide a fastener of simple and inexpensive construction and one which can be applied by hand to a box at the time the latter is packed by the shipper. Other metal fasteners of this type are usually applied by a machine, and generally secured to the boxes at the box factory, thus making one more cost item to raise the selling price. Besides, if such fasteners are applied at the factory, this frequently results in abrasion or other damage when several of the box blanks arebundled together for shipment from the box maker to the shipper or user. Another object of the invention is to eliminate such disadvantages.

A further object is to supply a wire clamp that can be fastened down snugly even though the contents of the box make it necessary to raise the cover approximately one inch higher-more or less-than the normal height. Although perishables are graded or divided into approximately uniform sizes and weights, there is some variation in the height of packs (or contents). Besides it is frequently necessary to offset settling in transit and shrinkage by high packs, bulge packs or excess amounts, so that the box will have a full appearance when it reaches destination markets. My improved wire clamp permits this adjustment in height of the cover, whereas most metal fasteners are of a type and grade which do not permit an adequate amount of adjustability. For example, when flat strips of metal are used, the pieces must be thin enough to bend easily, and if these thin pieces are bent near the end for a high pack, 'the fastening is too insecure for heavy loads, especially in carloads and the gross weights of the containers ranging from 25 to y60 pounds or more. In other words, a metal fastener which may be highly satisfactory fon-small parcel post boxes, may not be at all adequate for heavy freight shipments,

even though heavier stock is used in the fastener.

A still further object is to furnish a clamp which will not only frictionally engage the box but will be provided with a bearing surface about two inches long against the box board underneath the rim crease, for example, in addition to bearing surfaces at two locations where the of the rim of the box body. When boxes are used for fruits, vegetables, eggs, poultry and similar items, the box board becomes softened by moisture vapor, even though the surfaces may be treated or coated with wax or lacquer. `For this reason the usual type of metal fasteners are not satisfactory because the metal pierces the box board and tears easily because of the small amount of bearing surface where the fastener engages the box board.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of onetype of box showing a pair of my improved wire clamps used therewith.

Fig. 2y ,is a perspective view of one of the wire clamps.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional View of another type of box with one of my clamps employed in holding the box cover in position.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, 4 designates the body of a box formed of iberboard or the like, and provided with vertical walls 5 which are folded over the upper end portions to provide an external rim E, the latter extending downwardly from the top of the box.

The box is provided with a cover 1 having a depending skirt 8 which4 surrounds the rim 6. Such type of box is well known, and with it I employ my improved wire clamp, best illustrated in Fig. 2. Each clamp may b e made of any suitable pliable strip material, such as wire. preferably of annular or endless form and comprises a lower horizontal bar 9 from which depends a pair of` legs I0. A pair of upstanding bars Il have their lower ends integral with the legs i0 and such bars terminate at their upper ends in an upper horizontal bar i2.

Each leglil is bent below the bar 9 to provide protuberances I3 which extend toward the bars II and provide double clasps.

Such wire clamps can be sold in quantity lots as an article of manufacture, and in use, a shipper will simply insert the legs I0 beneath the rim 6 of the box until the bar 9 comes into engagement with the fold line Il of the rim. This will cause the legs il and bars il to frictionally engage both sides of the rim and bring the U- shaped lower ends I5 of the wire clamp into enparallel wires or the like fold about the edge sagement with the lower edge of the'rim. As

Itis

the result the clamp frictionally bears against the rim along several lines and for this reason it is not apt to tear the rim when the cover 'is applied.

As the bar I2 is normally arranged above the bar 9, obviously the cover must be provided with slots I6 to receive the upstanding portion of the clamp, and after the cover has been placed in position, the bar I2 can be grasped and turned outwardly and downwardly so as to clamp the skirt of the cover between portions of the upright bars I I in a manner which would be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1.

In the event that 'the receptacle is of a typ not provided with an external rim, opposite walls of the container may simply be provided with horizontal slots as indicated at I'I in Fig. 3. Then when the clamp is to be used,l the bar 9 and the legs I are inserted through the slots so as to cause the legs and bars II to frictionally clasp the wall of the box.

Afterwards, of course, the bar I2 can be turned downwardly so as to grip the skirt of the cover.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, use and advantages of my invention may be readily understood and it is apparent that changes may be made in the exact details illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a receptacle of the type having a. depending rim portion and a cover provided with a skirt arranged exteriorly of the rim portion, the improvement which comprises an endless cover fastener having inner and outer cross bars and a pair of clasps frictionally embracing said rim portion and integral with a part which extends through the cover and downwardly along the exterior of the skirt, the inner cross bar engaging the fold line of said rim portion.

2. In a receptacle of the type having an external rim and a cover provided with a skirt arranged externally of the rim, the improvement which comprises a cover fastener formed of a strip of pliable metal, said fastener having a substantially horizontal bar engaging the fold line l of the rim, the fastener also having a pair of clasps frictionally engaging opposite sides of the rim and also the lower edge of the rim, the fastener having a substantially U-shaped portion positioned at the exterior of the skirt and clamping the latter in place. Y

3. In a receptacle of the type having an external rim and a cover provided with a skirt arranged externally of the rim, the improvement which comprises a cover fastener formed of a strip of pliable metal, said fastener having a substantially horizontal bar engaging the fold line of the rim, the fastener also having a pair of clasps depending from said bar and frictionally engaging opposite sides of the rim and also the lower edge -of the rim, the fastener having a portion extending through said cover and forming a substantially U-shaped part which is integral with said clasps and is positioned at the exterior of the skirt for clamping the latter in place.

4,'In a receptacle of the type having opposite side walls provided with external depending rim vportions and a cover provided with a skirt frictionally engaging the rim portions, the improvement which comprises a pair of cover fasteners each formed of a, strip of pliable metal, each of said fasteners having a substantially horizontal bar engaging the fold line of one of the rim portions, each fastener also having a pair of clasps depending from its bar and frictionally engaging opposite sides as well as the lower edge of such rim portion, each fastener having a portion extending through said cover and forming a substantially U-shaped part which is integral with its clasps and is positioned at the exterior of the skirt for clamping the latter in place.

GLENN MATHER.' 

